Iconic Monster Use - The Aboleth

[megamania]

Never.

And, to be hoenst, I can barely remember their entry in the Monster Manuals. They may have appeared in three editions, but 3e is the first time that I actually noticed they were there and served some purpose beyond being a weird aquatic mind-flayer.

Isn't that what they are? :\

 

[The Crippler]

Often.

There was additional web content for Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil which detailed an Aboleth section of the outer fane which I made extensive use of, going so far as to actually expand it by quite a bit.

My players enjoyed it so much (ie:hated it) that i've tried to include some whenever there was that magical mix of underdark + water. These truly became iconic creatures for my campaigns.

 

[Aeolius]

...3e is the first time that I actually noticed they were there and served some purpose beyond being a weird aquatic mind-flayer.

In my games the mind flayer, aboleth, and flumph are all distantly related.

 

[Monkey Boy]

Are aboleths really iconic?

Is the aboleth really iconic? I don't think it's in the same league as rustmonsters, beholders and mindflayers.

The only time I've used one is when I ran RTTOEE. I have been tempted to run the Styes adventure in Dungeon. That has a really good use of aboleths. RTTOEE use of the aboleth felt forced. It was like Monte had to use all the creatures in the MM and so an aboleth was bound to crop up.

 

[Fat Daddy]

I can only ever remember encountering one once as a player and have never used one as a DM.

 

[Wik]

Aboleths rock. I'm not a big fan of that monster book dedicated to 'em, but you gotta love Lovecraftian squiddy things. I actually started using Aboleths in the short-lived FR 2e campaign I was running, mostly because I thought Skum were just "too cool". But, the race stuck, and I'm now a big fan of using them (at least as plot elements and NPCs) whenever I get the chance.

 

[Nyeshet]

I'm becoming increasingly amused by the fact that so many iconic D&D creatures are rarely if ever used. The Beholder, the Aboleth, the Displacer Beast - all have rarely been used in years of DMing by most of those polled about them.

I'm sure I must have missed a few polls though. What other creatures have been polled, and were the results as similar to these three?

 

[Psychic Warrior]

Considering how often Aboleth was mentioned as one of the 'must haves' for the D&D miniatures line I am surprised at the poll results. Pleased (since I have never used one and probably never will and really didn't want to see a huge Aboleth miniature) but surprised.

 

[Dr Simon]

Having run Dwellers of the Forbidden City once - then it's once for me.

However, I have plans for an Aboleth in my upcoming campaign, so who knows? It might go up to twice.

The main problem with using aboleths is the same as any aquatic monster, really. You generally need to manipulate things quite heavily to get the players in a situation where they can meaningfully interact with them. An aboleth in a pond (as in I1) is pretty useless. However, as a mastermind behind a slaving operation rather than a one-off combat encounter, that I can see potential

 

[DMH]

Your forgetting a fishbowl, like the one the guild navigators stay in in Dune (novels and movie).

And LoM's long dreaming concept allows them to be just about anywhere. Just add some water to get them active again.